There have been a number of so-called smartwatches either trying to or actually making it to market, but they all have one thing in common: they are flat. There’s nothing wrong with a flat-fronted watch display, but it does mean a trade-off has to be made between the size of the display and the watch being too bulky on your wrist.

Apparently, Apple is looking to rectify this problem by applying its cutting-edge glass manufacturing knowledge to the watch form factor and developing an iWatch device.

The New York Times has been told that Apple is experimenting with a curved glass smartwatch. As with all of Apple’s mobile devices, the watch would run a version of iOS and give users access to Apple’s services. How limited that access would be is something on Apple can decide, but the watch could form the equivalent of an iPhone, or be limited to the functionality of a cloud-connected iPod.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about Apple working on a smartwatch. In December last year there was a rumor Apple and Intel were collaborating on a watch with a 1.5-inch OLED display and a launch date before the middle of this year. We’ve also seen the iPod nano turned into a watch, demonstrating that there is the desire to have such an Apple-branded device.

Of course, Apple would only release such a device if it met the company’s strict design standards. At the same time, they wouldn’t want a watch drawing sales away from other devices. So it seems unlikely you’d get an Apple smartwatch that acted as a phone without being linked to the iPhone in your pocket.

In fact, doesn’t that seem like a more Apple thing to do? Use a smartwatch as the gateway device to your other Apple gadgets tucked safely away in a pocket or bag? It would certainly give you an excuse to buy more, rather than alternative Apple products.